4 ms·

What tool do you use to focus?

6 points by throwaway209 16y ago

What technique do you use to focus while working? in the sense methodology like GTD, ZTD, Pomodoro or softwares like OmniFocus, Things etc

Croaky 16y ago
Full-screen shell & text editor.
gregdetre 16y ago
On the Mac, Self Control every time! It'll block access to domains you define for a set period, e.g. news.ycombinator.com, email. http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/ http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/ http://gregdetre.blogspot.com/2009/10/self-control.html http://gregdetre.blogspot.com/2009/10/self-control.html The only downside is that I can't seem to block reader.google.com without also blocking all of google.com...
gnufs 16y ago
I follow Pomodoro Technique with the timer-applet on GNOME panel with work and break presets. Oh, and 'The Bomb Run' theme from Dr. Strangelove as the alarm sound.
AN447 16y ago
I turn off the internet if I need to do something task wise and have a shitty computer to get stuff done on that its a really old battered mac. Not a fan of software since i'll try override any settings etc.
- momotomo 16y ago
  This. Do the same thing, but with variations based on how badly I need to focus. - First is a battered old internet-free linux box with a text editor and a few basic tools for focussed work / dev. - Second is to sit somewhere unfamiliar in the office / home with grid paper and a pen - Third, if something needs some proper, hardcore thought applied - hardcopy whatever I need, drive somewhere with a table (cafe, park, whatever), turn off all my devices and sit. Sit, read, think, write, repeat.
eswat 16y ago
Music (specifically stuff I’ve listened to for years so I don’t get distracted by something new and catchy).
maxawaytoolong 16y ago
I've tried many things but nothing has helped more than turning off the internet.
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
retrogradeorbit 16y ago
A lens.
booduh 16y ago
Brainwave Entrainment ("music")
justinwi 16y ago
There's a really nice, and free, extension for chrome called StayFocusd that I use. https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/laankejkbhbdhmip... You can mark sites you visit as "time wasters" (e.g. news.google.com, hulu.com, HN, etc.) as well as how much time/day you should be allowed to waste during work hours (customizable). It then logs the time you spend on those sites and after you've reached your daily limit, it will redirect you whenever you try to visit them. Of course, you can work around it, but I find their redirect page wakes me out of an almost knee-jerk reaction to waste time throughout certain times of the day.
kenkyhuang 16y ago
This is more of a methodology than a tool, but I uninstall Starcraft.

6 points by throwaway209 16y ago

What technique do you use to focus while working? in the sense methodology like GTD, ZTD, Pomodoro or softwares like OmniFocus, Things etc

Croaky 16y ago

Full-screen shell & text editor.

gregdetre 16y ago

On the Mac, Self Control every time! It'll block access to domains you define for a set period, e.g. news.ycombinator.com, email. http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/ http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/ http://gregdetre.blogspot.com/2009/10/self-control.html http://gregdetre.blogspot.com/2009/10/self-control.html The only downside is that I can't seem to block reader.google.com without also blocking all of google.com...

gnufs 16y ago

I follow Pomodoro Technique with the timer-applet on GNOME panel with work and break presets. Oh, and 'The Bomb Run' theme from Dr. Strangelove as the alarm sound.

AN447 16y ago

I turn off the internet if I need to do something task wise and have a shitty computer to get stuff done on that its a really old battered mac. Not a fan of software since i'll try override any settings etc.

momotomo 16y ago
This. Do the same thing, but with variations based on how badly I need to focus. - First is a battered old internet-free linux box with a text editor and a few basic tools for focussed work / dev. - Second is to sit somewhere unfamiliar in the office / home with grid paper and a pen - Third, if something needs some proper, hardcore thought applied - hardcopy whatever I need, drive somewhere with a table (cafe, park, whatever), turn off all my devices and sit. Sit, read, think, write, repeat.

eswat 16y ago

Music (specifically stuff I’ve listened to for years so I don’t get distracted by something new and catchy).

maxawaytoolong 16y ago

I've tried many things but nothing has helped more than turning off the internet.

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

retrogradeorbit 16y ago

A lens.

booduh 16y ago

Brainwave Entrainment ("music")

justinwi 16y ago

There's a really nice, and free, extension for chrome called StayFocusd that I use. https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/laankejkbhbdhmip... You can mark sites you visit as "time wasters" (e.g. news.google.com, hulu.com, HN, etc.) as well as how much time/day you should be allowed to waste during work hours (customizable). It then logs the time you spend on those sites and after you've reached your daily limit, it will redirect you whenever you try to visit them. Of course, you can work around it, but I find their redirect page wakes me out of an almost knee-jerk reaction to waste time throughout certain times of the day.

kenkyhuang 16y ago

This is more of a methodology than a tool, but I uninstall Starcraft.